


Just Ask

by fxvixen



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Developing Relationship, Established Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Gen, M/M, Matt Boyd joins the Monsters, Neil Josten asks Andrew Minyard for things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 07:10:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19204429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fxvixen/pseuds/fxvixen
Summary: Convincing Andrew to do something he already is interested in doing is delightfully simple, Neil finds. Simple in that he just has to ask. Delightful in that Neil is discovering he feels a surge of pleasure when Andrew agrees to something he asks for.Convincing Andrew to do something he’s not keen on doing is something else all together.





	Just Ask

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fuzzballsheltiepants](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzballsheltiepants/gifts).



> me: might as well throw this bad boy up on ao3 too  
> me:  
> me: fuck i have to think of a title now
> 
> -
> 
> Done for a prompt sent by @fuzzballsheltiepants on Tumblr: _16) “All I know is, one of us is right, the other is you.”_

Convincing Andrew to do something he already is interested in doing is delightfully simple, Neil finds. Simple in that he just has to ask. Delightful in that Neil is discovering he feels a surge of pleasure when Andrew agrees to something he asks for. 

Convincing Andrew to do something he’s not keen on doing is something else all together. 

“Andrew?” 

Andrew doesn’t even bother to acknowledge him, just examines the powdered sugar on his fingers.

Neil huffs, ‘not keen on’ is probably an understatement. 

“Seriously?” 

Andrew plunges his hand back in the bag and comes back up with yet another mini powered doughnut and shoves it in his mouth. When he deigns to speak, his words are unrecognizable. 

Neil is a little fascinated with the way the excess power clings to Andrew’s lips, but he answers the question he’s sure Andrew asked.  _Why should I let this happen?_

“Because I like Matt,” Neil says, “and he outright told me that he’s been really lonely with the girls gone.” 

Andrew raises his eyebrows as he peeks in his bag. It might not even be directed at Neil, but he’ll take it as a,  _And I care about this why?_

“I don’t want– Matt…to be lonely,” Neil says. 

Andrew looks to him sharply then, at Neil’s pause, and Neil knows Andrew is doing his own reading of things unsaid. 

 _I don’t want anyone I care about to be lonely,_  Neil thinks.  _Not when I know exactly what that feels like._

“So, the saved stray wishes to save all the other strays,” Andrew says. 

Neil shakes his head. “Not all of them.”  _Just the ones that are part of my family._  

Andrew says nothing to this, just keeps working his way through the mini doughnuts, but Neil knows that further pushing will just irritate Andrew. He pulls his own snack out of the fridge, some green grapes, and sits down at his desk to try in vain to get some homework done. 

Neil expects Andrew to sit on this decision for a while, but Neil’s homework has only devolved into a single Exy game recap before Andrew decides. He comes over and leans against the corner of Neil’s desk to get his attention. 

Neil debates ignoring him for the moment, but he’s curious what Andrew thought of so quickly that he would trade for more of Matt’s presence. “Hey.” 

“Next weekend,” Andrew says. “There’s no game. We’re leaving after class and we’re not coming back until Monday. No talk about Exy. No talk about my brother. No talk about Kevin or Nicky or Matt or any other fucking person.”  

Neil grins. “Should I just leave my phone here then?” 

Andrew growls, “If you get in my car without your phone, I’ll leave you out in the middle of nowhere.”

“Hmm,” Neil mulls that over. “Where in the middle of nowhere?” 

“Wherever I want.” 

“I used to live on the run, you know,” Neil teases, and he can see Andrew’s eyes narrow with reluctant amusement. “I could probably make it.” 

“Neil,” Andrew says, bringing him back. “A few weekends away for Matt’s continued presence. Yes or no?” 

“A few?” 

“Here or there.” 

Something in Neil softens at Andrew’s request, because in his roundabout way, he’s trying to ask to spend more time with just him, and Neil wouldn’t say no to that. He says, “I would do that with you without a deal.” 

Andrew’s brows twitch in what might be a frown. He nods slowly. “I’m aware.”

Neil blinks. “You’ve been waiting to ask? Why?” 

Andrew just stares at him. 

“You can ask me for things,” Neil starts, “I want to do things with you.” 

His brows twitch further. “I’m aware.” He stares at Neil more intently. 

No idea what Andrew is trying to convey, Neil raises his eyebrows. 

Andrew huffs. “Nothing,” he stops, and only when he continues does Neil realize it was a moment of hesitation, “that happens here should be unequal.” It’s delivery is flat, but Neil gets the feeling that it’s actually a question. 

It clicks, and Neil abruptly realizes this is a turning point for the two of them. Andrew is unsure how to ask for things that he knows he’ll get, because he thinks that it will mean that he has more power in the relationship than Neil has. At the same moment, Neil realizes that he doesn’t want Andrew to have to ask for a weekend for the two of them in this way. He doesn’t want to have to make a deal with Andrew for him to be okay with Matt. He wants them to want to do things for each other. 

“It doesn’t have to be unequal,” Neil says. “Sometimes you’ll ask for things, and sometimes I’ll ask for things. They don’t have to match up all the time.” 

“I won’t always say yes.” 

Neil gives him a little smile. “I know. I like you that way.” 

“You won’t give up Exy things. You won’t always say yes either,” Andrew says. 

“No,” Neil says, then laughs. 

Andrew’s lip curls. “The weekend away, yes or no?” 

“Yes.” Neil counters with, “Matt getting breakfast with all of us this weekend, yes or no?” 

“Yes,” Andrew says, without hesitation, and Neil feels so so light. Andrew straightens and moves to leave Neil at his desk. “Finish your homework, Captain.” 

Neil groans, but holds on to the thought that just as Andrew knows Neil wants to do things for him, Neil knows that Andrew is willing to do things for him as well. 

Maybe he even  _wants_  to. 

* * *

“God, I haven’t had a pancake in so long,” Matt moans in between bites slathered in butter and syrup and whipped cream. 

Neil tries not to wince at the amount of sugar he’s putting away, especially when Andrew had ordered the exact same with extra whipped cream. Andrew had also ordered extra cherries that he’s half-heartedly fighting Neil away from.  

Nicky laughs. “Are you going to be okay over there?”

“No, but honestly, this is the best way to go out,” Matt says, and he looks so earnest that Aaron shoots him an amused look. 

Kevin, now that there’s someone here other than Andrew to go off at about their food choices, says, “That meal is completely ridiculous for a player of your caliber to be eating. You’re–” 

“I’m just trying to put on weight, Kev,” Matt says. “I need the carbs.” 

“That doesn’t account for the sheer amount of–”

“Ffaaffaaflaalaa,” Matt says around another bite, and Neil muffles a snicker while Nicky cackles and Aaron snorts. “I can’t hear you over the incredible taste of these pancakes.” 

“You can’t possibly even taste the pancakes anymore,” Kevin says. “You and Andrew both need to start thinking about the right kind of food you should be eating if you’re even thinking about going professional. The dietitians will never allow this kind of indulgence.” 

“Then I better get it in now, shouldn’t I?” Matt says, and grins as he takes another big bite. 

“Andrew,” Kevin says, somehow not seeing what’s obvious to Neil, that appealing to Andrew is a lost cause. 

Andrew licks a huge amount of whipped cream off his spoon and then points it at Kevin. Neil steals a cherry while he’s distracted. “All I know is, one of us is right, and the other is you.” 

Matt laughs and has to get a drink when he almost chokes on his pancakes. 

“Fine,” Kevin snaps. “Ruin your careers, I don’t care.” 

Andrew’s mouth pulls in the direction of a smirk, and Neil is pretty sure that Matt sees it because he holds his hand out in a closed fist to Andrew. 

Andrew looks at it blankly for several long moments that Neil gets the feeling are actually filled with something like surprise. Andrew raises his hand to bump his fist against Matt’s and Matt almost explodes with delight. 

Neil himself grins unabashedly when Andrew turns to him and says, “This is your fault.” 

“I’m okay with that.” Neil steals another one of Andrew’s cherries, and Andrew doesn't protest. 

**Author's Note:**

> please praise me for being able to actually finish something by leaving a comment and/or a kudos and talk to me on tumblr @fxvixen =)


End file.
